"Or are you planning to fight me here?"
Orochimaru's narrow eyes slightly narrowed. There was no threat in his tone, only a strong excitement. Facing Uzumaki Raiden again, he could feel the terrifying amount of chakra contained within Raiden's body.
"If I can obtain his, I should be able to completely achieve my goal!" Orochimaru thought to himself, unable to suppress the excitement that made his mouth dry. He stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. His gaze toward Uzumaki Raiden began to change—from the nostalgia of meeting an old acquaintance to an uncontrollable greed.
Uzumaki Raiden frowned slightly. This was the first time Orochimaru had ever displayed such emotions in his presence. That desire, that greed—it was not concealed at all.
"Senior Brother, you've set your sights on me."
"You came to Konoha for me."
Uzumaki Raiden tapped the table lightly with his right hand, his chakra beginning to stir. At this stage, Orochimaru was in the period where his desires had completely overwhelmed his emotions. Against such an Orochimaru, Uzumaki Raiden couldn't help but raise his guard, ready to act at any moment.
"Hehehe, you're overthinking it." Orochimaru lowered his head slightly but suddenly lunged forward, his right arm transforming into countless white pythons that shot toward Raiden.
Orochimaru's attack was so sudden that even Raiden hadn't expected him to strike at that moment. However, Raiden's surprise lasted only an instant. Just before the white pythons reached him, a net of lightning enveloped them, filling the teahouse with the acrid scent of burning flesh.
The white pythons screeched as they fell onto the table one after another with a series of heavy thuds.
Though his first attack had failed, Orochimaru did not seem inclined to stop. He slammed his palm onto the table, preparing to rise from his seat. However, the very next second, his body froze in place.
"So fast!"
"Let go of Orochimaru-sama!"
Kimimaro and Karin had already leaped from their seats, one wielding a bone blade, the other gripping a kunai, their eyes locked onto the figure that had appeared behind Orochimaru.
At some point, Uzumaki Raiden, who had been sitting in front of Orochimaru, had vanished from his seat and reappeared behind him. His right hand gripped a long blade, pressing it against Orochimaru's neck, while his left hand rested firmly on Orochimaru's shoulder, preventing him from rising.
Only now did Orochimaru's face reveal a hint of surprise, but his expression quickly darkened.
"You've grown much stronger." Orochimaru's voice was low. He had miscalculated. He had been too close to Uzumaki Raiden. At such a short distance, he didn't even have time to form hand seals before the younger shinobi had already seized the advantage.
Orochimaru's strength relied largely on ninjutsu. In close-quarters combat, he was nowhere near Raiden's level.
"It seems reminiscing about old times is no longer possible. Senior Brother Orochimaru, please come with me."
"Don't worry, I won't kill you. After all, you are my senior brother."
Uzumaki Raiden patted Orochimaru's shoulder and slowly withdrew his blade. The moment Raiden stepped away, Kimimaro lunged forward.
He didn't care about the relationship between Uzumaki Raiden and Orochimaru. The only thing that mattered to him was that Raiden had become a threat to his beloved master. Eliminating all threats to Orochimaru was his purpose.
Kimimaro slashed with his bone blade, aiming straight for Raiden's chest. But as he approached, Raiden calmly lifted his right leg and kicked toward Kimimaro's chest.
Raiden's attack wasn't particularly fast—it was a counterattack that Kimimaro could clearly see coming.
Kimimaro had no intention of dodging. His chest was already reinforced with a thick layer of bone armor. His plan was to withstand Raiden's kick and then strike back.
However, Orochimaru, who had remained seated, was startled when he saw Kimimaro standing his ground. He couldn't help but shout, "Dodge, Kimimaro!"
"Crack!"
But Orochimaru's warning came too late.
Before he could finish speaking, Raiden's kick connected.
With a dull thud, Kimimaro was sent flying like a cannonball. His body crashed through the teahouse wall, disappearing from view. His fate was unknown.
Seeing Kimimaro sent soaring, Karin hesitated for a moment before preparing to attack. But before she could move, Raiden's gaze landed on her.
A terrifying pressure erupted from Raiden's body, his chakra materializing in the air and bearing down upon her.
Karin froze under the crushing weight of his presence. Something deep in her memory stirred, unlocking a buried fear. Trembling, she stared at Raiden, unable to move.
"Raiden, isn't this a bit excessive for dealing with juniors?" Orochimaru's voice cut in.
His words seemed to have an effect. The overwhelming pressure receded as Raiden walked back to his seat and sat down.
"Senior Brother, your subordinates lack discipline. I was just teaching them a lesson."
"No need to thank me."
Raiden smiled and then turned his attention away from Karin.
"You came to Konoha at the perfect time. I need your help with something."
Raiden had made up his mind. If he was going to fight against the Otsutsuki clan, simply relying on sealing techniques was only a temporary solution. There was no known way to completely eliminate them, and Raiden himself lacked a concrete method for doing so.
Orochimaru, with his extensive research in scientific fields, was undoubtedly the best person to assist him—provided he was willing.
Raiden, however, wasn't too concerned about that. Orochimaru was someone who pursued knowledge above all else. As long as there was no conflict of interest, cooperation was always possible.
More importantly, they had once been allies. Orochimaru had grown stronger over the years, but now it was time for him to be reminded of his place.
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. He knew that if he went with Raiden, he would be at his mercy.
After a long pause, he finally nodded.
"Since it's your invitation, I won't refuse."
"There's no difference between drinking tea here and going to your place. Let's go."
Orochimaru stood up, preparing to leave. Karin, seeing this, moved to follow, but Orochimaru stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"Karin, go take care of Kimimaro. Raiden didn't kill him."
"My junior brother and I have things to discuss. You two don't need to follow."
With that, Orochimaru walked out of the teahouse first. Raiden gave Karin one last glance before following him.
The two headed toward a mountain outside the village.
"What did you bring me here for?" Orochimaru asked as they arrived at the base of a massive mountain.
In front of them stretched a long mountain path lined with rows of densely packed torii gates.
Orochimaru's instincts immediately told him this was no ordinary mountain. The torii gates were not mere decorations—they were constructed using ninjutsu, with their red pillars engraved with intricate sealing marks. A powerful barrier covered the entire mountain, making it indistinguishable from an ordinary landscape unless one knew what to look for.
His heartbeat quickened.
Could Raiden have brought him here to kill him?
Sensing this, Orochimaru subtly prepared himself. If Raiden made a move, he would use the Eight-Headed Serpent Technique to escape.
"Brother, don't be nervous. I just have something to show you."
Uzumaki Raiden gazed at the mountain path and spoke softly.
Then, Orochimaru watched as Uzumaki Raiden swiftly formed hand seals with both hands. The entire mountain began to shake violently.
The central mountain path slowly split open, revealing a hidden stone road within the mountain. The passage led directly to the heart of the mountain itself.
"Let's go."
Uzumaki Raiden stepped onto the stone path and walked forward. Orochimaru's expression grew solemn as he silently followed Raiden. After witnessing this scene, he realized he might have just uncovered one of Uzumaki Raiden's greatest secrets.
The two ascended the steps along the mountain path. After more than ten minutes, the light gradually faded, and the surroundings grew darker. A few moments later, Uzumaki Raiden, who was leading the way, came to a stop.
As Orochimaru's pupils adjusted to the dim light, he began to take in the environment around him.
Uzumaki Raiden had led him deep into the mountain. At its core lay a massive stone chamber, and in the very center of the chamber stood a figure bound by golden chains.
When Orochimaru finally saw the prisoner's face clearly, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"You damn bastard! You insect! How dare you restrain me?!"
"When I get out of here, I will grind you into dust!"
"AHHHHHH!!!!"
Despite being sealed for an unknown length of time, the man remained full of energy, showing no signs of weakness.
Sensing the terrifying power emanating from him, Orochimaru couldn't help but chuckle.
"Hehehehe... Raiden, is this the person you wanted me to see?"
"And what exactly do you want me to do?" Orochimaru studied the prisoner carefully for a long moment before turning his gaze back to Uzumaki Raiden.
"This man belongs to the Otsutsuki clan."
"You may not realize it, but the person in front of you shares the same bloodline as the legendary Sage of Six Paths!"
"In fact, his age may even surpass that of the Sage of Six Paths—he has lived for over a thousand years!"
Uzumaki Raiden spoke slowly, his gaze fixed on the sealed Otsutsuki.
At the same time, he subtly approached Orochimaru, ready to act the moment he detected any sudden movements. The existence of this Otsutsuki was a long-buried secret—Raiden's key to unlocking the mysteries of eternal life.
"A thousand years? The Sage of Six Paths?"
At first, Orochimaru didn't take Raiden's words too seriously, assuming the prisoner was just another captive. But after hearing Raiden's explanation, even someone as composed as Orochimaru couldn't suppress a low gasp of shock.
He shot a surprised glance at Uzumaki Raiden before turning his full attention back to the being tightly restrained by the golden chains.
"This..."
Orochimaru's eyes flickered with astonishment as he stared at the Otsutsuki. He was momentarily at a loss for words.
Uzumaki Raiden had just revealed that the man before them had existed for over a millennium—an ancient being who had defied time itself!
For someone like Orochimaru, whose obsession with immortality knew no bounds, this revelation was nothing short of earth-shattering.
"Brother, what I need you to do... is examine this man in front of you."
"I want you to help me uncover the secret of his eternal life."
"I, too, am deeply curious about immortality."
(End of this chapter)